Chrysanthemum plant named &#39;Coral Pilar&#39;

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Coral Pilar’, characterized by its anemone-type inflorescences that are about 6.7 cm in diameter and with large anemone centers; attractive dark coral pink ray florets and yellow-tipped disc florets; freely and early flowering habit; dark green foliage; thick and strong stems; and good postproduction longevity with inflorescences maintaining good substance and color for about three or four weeks in an interior environment.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum×morifolium andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Coral Pilar’.

[0002] The new Chrysanthemum is a product of a mutation inductionbreeding program conducted by the Inventor in Alva, Fla. The objectiveof the program is to create new Chrysanthemum cultivars with desirableinflorescence form and floret colors, good substance, and goodpostproduction longevity.

[0003] The new Chrysanthemum is a naturally-occurring whole plantmutation of a proprietary induced mutation that originated by exposingunrooted cuttings of the Chrysanthemum cultivar Dark Pilar, disclosed inU.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,753, to X-ray radiation. The new Chrysanthemumwas discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plantwithin a population of plants of the irradiated selection in November,1997, in Alva, Fla. The selection of this plant was based on itsdesirable inflorescence form and floret colors and good postproductionlongevity.

[0004] Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum by terminalcuttings taken in a controlled environment in Alva, Fla., has shown thatthe unique features of this new Chrysanthemum are stable and reproducedtrue to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The cultivar Coral Pilar has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

[0006] The following traits have been repeatedly observed and aredetermined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Coral Pilar’. Thesecharacteristics in combination distinguish ‘Coral Pilar’ as a new anddistinct cultivar:

[0007] 1. Anemone-type inflorescences that are about 6.7 cm in diameterand with large anemone centers.

[0008] 2. Attractive dark coral pink ray florets and yellow-tipped discflorets.

[0009] 3. Very freely flowering habit with numerous inflorescences perstem.

[0010] 4. Early flowering, response time is about 51 days.

[0011] 5. Dark green foliage.

[0012] 6. Thick and strong stems.

[0013] 7. Good postproduction longevity with inflorescences maintaininggood substance and color for about three or four weeks in an interiorenvironment.

[0014] Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from plants of thecultivar Dark Pilar primarily in ray floret color as plants of thecultivar Dark Pilar have purple-colored ray florets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

[0015] The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overallappearance of the new Chrysanthemum, showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Chrysanthemum. The photograph on the first sheetcomprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering stem of ‘CoralPilar’ grown as a spray-type cut Chrysanthemum. The photograph on thesecond sheet comprises a close-up view of typical inflorescences of‘Coral Pilar’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

[0016] In the following description, color references are made to TheRoyal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observationsand measurements describe plants grown in Salinas, Calif., underconditions which approximate commercial practice in a double-layerpolyethylene-covered greenhouse. Two-week old rooted cuttings wereplanted on Feb. 10, 2000 and received 18 long day/short nights followedby short day/long nights until flowering. Plants were grown assingle-stem cut chrysanthemums. During the production time, thefollowing environmental conditions were measured: day temperatures, 18to 27° C.; night temperatures, 16 to 18° C.; and light levels, 2,000 to4,000 foot-candles. Measurements and numerical values represent averagesfor six to ten typical flowering stems and were taken during the week ofApr. 30, 2000.

[0017] Botanical Classification: Chrysanthemum×morifolium cultivar CoralPilar.

[0018] Commercial Classification: Anemone spray-type cut Chrysanthemum.

[0019] Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of aproprietary Chrysanthemum×morifolium induced mutation, not patented.

[0020] Propagation:

[0021]Type.—Terminal tip cuttings.

[0022]Time to rooting.—About seven to ten days with soil temperatures of21° C.

[0023]Root description.—Fine, fibrous and well-branched.

[0024] Plant Description:

[0025]Appearance.—Herbaceous anemone spray-type cut flower.

[0026]Flowering stem description.—Aspect: Erect. Strength: Strong.Length: About 88.9 cm. Diameter: About 6.5 mm. Internode length: About3.3 cm. Texture: Pubescent; fine, white. Color: 146A to 146B.

[0027]Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate. Length: About 11.9cm. Width: About 7.5 cm. Apex: Cuspidate to mucronate. Base: Mostlytruncate. Margin: Palmately lobed; sinuses divergent to parallel.Texture: Upper and lower surfaces pubescent. Veins prominent on lowersurface. Color: Young foliage upper surface: Much darker than 147A.Young foliage lower surface: Darker than 147B. Mature foliage uppersurface: Darker than 147A; venation, close to 147B. Mature foliage lowersurface: Darker than 147B; venation, close to 146B to 147C. Petiole:Length: About 3.1 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Color: Close to 147B.

[0028] Flowering Description:

[0029]Appearance.—Anemone spray-type inflorescence form with elongatedoblong-shaped ray florets. Inflorescences borne on terminals, arisingfrom leaf axils. Disc and ray florets arranged acropetally on acapitulum.

[0030]Flowering response.—Under natural conditions, plant flower in theautumn/winter in the Northern Hemisphere. At other times of the year,inflorescence initiation and development can be induced under shortday/long night conditions (at least 13.5 hours of darkness). Plantsexposed to three weeks of long day/short night conditions after plantingfollowed by photoinductive short day/long night conditions flower about51 days later.

[0031]Postproduction longevity.—In an interior environment, floweringstems will maintain good color and substance for about three or fourweeks in an interior environment after one week of cool storage.

[0032]Quantity of inflorescences.—Freely flowering with about 14inflorescences per flowering stem.

[0033]Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 6.7 cm. Depth (height): About1.7 cm. Diameter of disc: About 3.8 cm. Diameter of receptacle: About7.5 mm.

[0034]Ray florets.—Shape: Elongated oblong. Length: About 3.7 cm. Width:About 1.1 cm. Apex: Mostly acute to emarginate. Base: Attenuate. Margin:Entire. Texture: Satiny, smooth, glabrous; longitudinally ridged.Aspect: Mostly flat. Aspect: Initially upright; when mature, about 90°from vertical. Number of ray florets per inflorescence: About 73arranged in about three rows. Color: When opening, upper surface: Groundcolor, 11A to 11B overlain with 58A or 60A to 60B; overall tonality,close to dulled 63A to 63B. When opening, lower surface: Ground color11B faintly underlain with 59A. Mature, upper surface: Ground color 11Boverlain with 58A or 60A to 60B; overall tonality, close to 63A to 63Band fading to close to 63C with subsequent development. Mature, lowersurface: Ground color 11B faintly underlain with 59A.

[0035]Disc florets.—Shape: Enlarged tubular; flared. Length: About 1.9cm. Width: Apex: About 5 mm. Base: About 1 mm. Number of disc floretsper inflorescence: Numerous, typically about 153. Color: Immature: 144Ato 144B to 145A. Mature, throat: Apex: Close to 9A. Mid-section: Closeto 11A faintly overlain with 59B. Base: Close to 154A. Mature, tube: 58Aor 60A to 60B.

[0036]Peduncle.—Aspect: Angled about 45° from vertical. Strength:Strong, flexible. Length: First peduncle: About 7.5 cm. Fourth peduncle:About 11.8 cm. Seventh peduncle: About 15.2 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.Texture: Very fine pubescence. Color: 146A to 146B.

[0037]Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets only.Anther color: 9A. Amount of pollen: None observed. Gynoecium: Present onboth ray and disc florets.

[0038]Seed.—Seed production has not been observed.

[0039] Disease Resistance: Resistance to pathogens common toChrysanthemums has not been observed on plants grown under commercialconditions.

[0040] Temperature Tolerance: Plants of the new Chrysanthemum havedemonstrated good tolerance to night temperatures as low as 5° C. andday temperatures lower than 40° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Coral Pilar’, as illustrated and described. 